Uniting the sole and heel of boots or shoes



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet '1.

LE GAY.

[IN THE SOLES AND HEELS 0F BOOTS AND SHOES. N0. 350, Patented Oct. 12;1886.

I I I I I WITNESSES Q j I IINVENTEIR- (No Model.) V 2 SheetsS heet 2.

' E; J. LE GAY.

UNITING THE SOLES AND HEELS 0P BOOTS AND SHOES.

Patented Oct. 12, 1886.

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WITNEISEEE I INZNTEIR- 7 I i di 1 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDWARD J. LE GAY, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

UNITING THE SOLE AND HEEL OF BOOTS OR SHOES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 350,540, dated October12, 1886. Application filed April l9, 1886. Serial No.199,355. (Nomodel.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD J. LE GAY, of Boston, in the county ofSuffolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and usefulImprovement in Uniting the Soles and Heels of Boots or Shoes, whichwill, in connection with the accompanying drawings, be hereinafter fullydescribed, and specifically defined in the appendedclaim.

This invention relates to that class or kind of soles and heels in whichthe rear part of the sole is horizontallydivided, and the subdivisionsthus formed are respectively secured to the breast and top of the heel;and my invention consists in the method of setting to form in suitablemolds the divided sole and then uniting the sole and heel by subjectingthem to pressure in suitable molds, the uniting parts of the sole andheel being coated with hard drying cement.

For the purpose of illustrating my method I have introduced theaccompanying drawings,.in which- Figure 1 is a top plan view of a moldadapted to mold the sole, as shown in Figs. 7 and 8, the cup of the moldbeing partly broken away in order to expose the interior of the mold.Fig. 2 is a vertical transverse section taken as on line 2, Figs. 1 and'3. Fig. 3 is a .30 longitudinal vertical section through the mold shownin Fig. 1, taken as on line m, Fig. 2, and showing the molded sole inplace therein. Fig. 4 is a view like Fig. 3, except that the sole isshown as being molded for a heel having an overarching instead of aright-line breast. Fig. 5 is a longitudinal vertical see- ,tion throughthesole, heel, and mold, by which the sole and heel are being united bymy method. Fig. 6 is an edge view of the rear portion of a sole asdivided preparatory to being molded by my method. Fig. 7 is an underside plan view of a sole as molded to be applied to a heel having a.right-line breast. Fig. 8 is an edge elevation of the sole shown in Fig.7, but right side up.

It has long been common to split the sole A, as at a, Fig. 6, thusforming the'part b to be secured to the top or seat of the heel and partc to be secured to the breast of the heel; but such union of the soleand heel has heretofore been effected after .the sole had beenpermanently secured to the upperand insole,

the heel being then attached to the sole. Nor has it been heretoforepracticed to mold" the divided sole under due pressure inproperly-formed molds, in order to impart to it the required curvesandangles to adapt it to the shank of the boot or shoe and the breast andseat of the heel.

In my improved method theshank of the sole is molded to a transversecurve that will fit the shank of the insole, and the parts I) c aremolded to respectively fit the top or seat of the heel and theheel-breast, and for this purpose a mold formed with parts B O D can besuccessfully employed, part 0 being formed with a recess, e,- to receivepart c of the sole, while part D is hinged at d to C, so as to bereadily raised and lowered when placing the sole in or removing it fromthe mold. In performing this part of my method the sole duly softened bymoisture is placed in the seat in parts B O with flap c in recess e, andflap 1) extended on part 0. Part D is then turned down and pressure isfirst applied thereto, when pressure is applied to force parts B 0together, whereby the sole is molded, as shown in Figs. 7, 8, if it isto be applied to a heel having a vertical or right-line breast; but ifthe heel is to be of the overarching kind shown in Fig. 5, then parts BC will at their abutting faces be formed as in Fig. 4.. After the soleis thus molded and set to form the rear face of flap c and under side offlap b are coated with suitable cement or other harddrying adhesivesubstance, as are also the parts of the heel E against which said facesare to be placed, and when thus prepared the sole and heel are placed inasuitable mold, as shown in Fig. 5, and the cemented parts are firmlyforced together till sufficiently dried, when they are removed from themold, and when fully dried are in readiness without further fitting tobe secured to the boot or shoe. In said Fig. 5 I have shown a Pompadourheel, so called, as being united to the sole; but all patterns of heelsare united in the same manner, the only difference in the molds beingthe proper form of the cavity to receive the heel and sole that unitetherewith.

In former patents and in an application already allowed I have shownmeans for closing molds like those presented herewith; hence furtherspace is not requisite for explaining the same, and, besides, any mold,however actuated, that will set the sole to form and unite the sole andheel, will enable any person of ordinary skill in the art to put mymethod in practice.

In theaccompanying d rawingsI have shown the heel as formed with a caseor shell, 71, which would preferably be formed of leather, and afilling-block, g, cemented t0 the shell; but the same has no relation tomy present invention, as any heel may be used in practicing my inventionto which the sole can be secured, and in addition to the cement employedmay here-enforced by nails, tacks, or pegs.

EDWVARD J. LE GAY.

\Vitnesses:

T. W. PORTER, EUGENE HUMPHREY.

